The Blue Demon
by Kokiko
Summary: One day, the blind village girl Miku Hatsune gets lost in the forest and ends up stumbling across a house. Unknown to her, it is the blue demon's house. But does it matter? Based off Kaito's "Demon and Daughter" KaitoxMiku
1. A Dream

**Title: The Blue Demon  
Song: Kaito's "Demon and Daughter"  
Pairing: MikuxKaito  
Summary: One day, the blind village girl Miku Hatsune gets lost in the forest and ends up stumbling across a house. Unknown to her, it is the blue demon's house. But does it matter?**

**Notes: I just loved the song and had to make this, so I'm saying right now, sorry if Kaito seems a little off. I really wanted to emphasize his character development, so yeah. Just wait for it cause right now he is shunned and cold. Oh. And the chapters are going to alternate back and forth between Kaito's and Miku's POV.**

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Cold blue eyes gazed up at the tree tops above. He watched as birds flew and twittered from branch to branch, happy in their own right but staying away from him. Of course they would. They knew what he was. The villagers were afraid of him and so were the animals. IT seemed the only thing that did not fear him was the plant life growing around his house. How pitiful.

He laid back down on the polished wood floors, the doors overlooking the path to the village still open. Deep blue locks of hair covered his eyes and vision. Each was like this, each day the same. The village had brought up his food just yesterday, so it would be a while before someone else came up the stone path. He was trapped in that small house. Caged in the forest. Exiled from society.

At least he was given food and clothes though. Actually, they were very nice clothes. Some of the finest material he's ever seen, in truth. Perhaps these materialistic things were just another form of sacrifice to keep him locked away from the world. The people seemed to have no problem doing it and the demon had no problem obeying. It's the same as it always was. Imaginary loneliness. Of course it was imaginary. He wasn't lonely. Why did he need to be? It would do him no good, so he simply wasn't.

He exhaled softly, mistake that not for a sigh. It was merely a breath of air. There was so reason to sigh, so he simply wouldn't. A blanket of sleep slowly started to overcome him. Now there was something to do. Sleep was needed, so he would do just that. Sleep to pass the time by. It was not something that came easily though. First drowsiness would cloud his mind, then rest.

"Hello?" A soft voice called out.

A dream? Yes, merely a dream that came early. It would speak to him and quell his mind into sleep. "Hello," he answered with a tired breath, again, mistake it not for a sigh.

"Where am I?" the soft voice reached, the soothing melody of a feminine pitch present in it.

Isn't that odd? A dream not knowing where it is. It's a rather funny sort of odd. "Here," he replied.

There was a pause from the dream. "And where are you?" it asked.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly. Even if it was a dream that did not know where it was, it was **his **dream so it should know where **he** is. "Here," he said flatly, already tired of this conversation.

A thick silence spread through the air like stars in the sky. An uncomfortable and unnecessary stirring echoed in his stomach. Why did he want to hear the dream speak again? Oh, right. Because it was his dream here to talk him to sleep. But why was this dream so odd? "And," he slowly started in tired voice, not able to control the words from rolling off of his tongue, "Where are you?"

"Here," the dream quietly replied, the quality of it's sound reminding him of the cloth he wore, but much more refined.

"But where is here?"

"I don't know."

This did not sound right at all. The demon crack his eyes open to proud sun shining down through the canopy once more. "Dream?" he called.

"What?"

Instantly he shot up and turned his head in the direction of the stone path. His normal line of sight was met with the image of a girl in a summer green kimono and loose aquamarine shaded hair framing and distorting her face. She had bandages wrapped around her head, and one sandal missing.

This was no dream.


	2. Odd

"Miku! Please don't go there!" her neighbor and friend, Meiko called out to her. She was often worried about the blind girl when she wasn't busy downing a few bottles of sake. She was worried even more now that the girl was heading to the forest. After all, that was where the demon lived. A blind girl has no reason to go to such a place.

"It's fine," Miku said with a happy smile, "I don't want to sit around and do nothing so I'm just going to go get some water at the river." Her left hand gestured to the wooden pail in her right.

The brunette pressed her lips into a thin line. Well, the river wasn't too far off. And Miku had been escorted there before. Surely she would know her way to and fro. The blind girl smiled, no doubt with twinkling dull eyes from behind the bandages, before waving a good-bye and heading into the forest. Miku was thankful for the large cobble stone path through the woods. It helped her brilliantly, until she remembered something. After one-hundred steps you have to turn right and continue straight to the river. Well that path made no sense. Why would it go anywhere but the river? Perhaps it was to a shrine...? No, no, the village already had one of those. Maybe an older shrine then? An older shrine, or just another one.

Miku continued on slowly, carefully feeling her steps. It wouldn't be good to get lost in the forest. Her trip was almost over though. Miku smiled as she heard the song of running water vibrate in her ears. She always loved the way running water sounded. Only slightly, she moved faster, delighted to be at the river. Now she could be useful to the vill-

Her elbows collided with the dirt. A small and innocent hiss came from the back of her throat at the new found stinging in her knees, elbows, and right foot...? She had lost her sandal. Now that, was not good. It wasn't wise to feel around in the forest though. Besides, she was right there at the river. It wouldn't take long to get water and head back home.

She sighed, mistake that not for a breath of air in this disparity, as she grasped the pail in her finger tips and slowly stood up. She then brushed off the dirt that she couldn't see with her left hand. Miku began to slowly inch her self towards the river again, sliding one foot and lifting the unprotected one.

A log made contact with her foot. It was the one placed there by one of farming boys, Leon maybe, to make sure she didn't fall in. How nice, right? Actually, their exact words were, "Don't fall in cause you won't be able to see which way to swim!" What made that an even kinder statement, was that she didn't know how to swim. They truly were nice people, and Miku liked that.

She sat down in front of the log, her legs folded delicately underneath her. Then, she just listened. She listened to song of the birds, the beat of the trees, and the chorus of the river. It was complete and utter peace. It was times like this that she wished to become one with the nature around her. That was always her top wish. It was never to see because she had gone her whole life without doing so. To her, seeing was as pointless as learning how to swim, and learning how to swim was pointless in itself with the log there.

Those thoughts aside, she was really there to gather water. Slightly leaning over the log, Miku dunked the pail into the water and let it fill. Then she tried to stand up, but the weight of the water worked against her. The pail was dropped into the running liquid. Now she felt helpless.

"I should go let Meiko know," she muttered to herself sadly. She wouldn't be punished, but surely her actions would be frowned upon. The aquamarine haired girl turned around to head back, but had to stop. Which way was it again? The path was unmarked and it was certainly a miracle in itself to get this far, but what about going back? Ah, but if she found the path again, that would lead her to either the village or the shrine. Of course.

Now determined, Miku headed off into the forest. Very often her fingers clenched the edge of her green kimono, trying to hold back a hiss or gasp of pain from miscellaneous cuts and scrapes in her foot. She wondered to herself if it was bleeding or not. If it was, then a simple bandage would fix that. Lord knows she has plenty of them. They were wrapped around her face for goodness sake.

Then she felt the smooth stone of the path beneath her feet, a great and much welcomed difference from the forest dirt. Now which way, oh which way? She chose to go right. After all, the directions she had been given were to turn right, right? Of course. So, that's the way she went. Miku went down the path and followed it all the way until the path widened. She knew that it did because the stone she stepped on went farther than the path was positioned. But what now? It was too quiet to be the village, or perhaps everyone was busy somewhere else and there simply wasn't anyone around.

She didn't want to continue forward though. Her foot hurt and there wasn't anything to help guide her in the open. Miku cautiously put her arms out and found that there was a tree beside her. Now that was something that could help. She leaned on the tree for support. What about finding someone though?

"Hello?" she called out.

"Hello," a male voice said with a sigh. It seemed unfamiliar.

"Where am I?" Miku asked, not really sure herself. Perhaps she chose the wrong way and ended up at the shrine.

There was a pause before the voice answered, "Here."

She was certain that it was someone she did not know, but that hardly mattered. What did matter was that someone was there and that they could help. "And where are you?"

"Here," the man said with a hint of irritation. Yes, he could help, even if he was giving such useless answers. Then a silence fell between them. Why wasn't he saying anything? Why wasn't he helping her? Oh, maybe he didn't know that she couldn't see. Well, that was fine. It was fine as long as Miku knew she wasn't alone. Wasn't he odd though? Such simple answers to simple questions. It almost seemed like he was trying to get to sleep. That was silly though. Who would sleep in the middle of the day?

"And where are you?" he echoed, her question coming off as more appealing in his voice.

"Here," she answered without delay.

"But where is here?"

"I don't know." Another pause.

"Dream?" he called out, like he was addressing someone, but that wasn't her name. Maybe he wasn't talking about her.

"What?" she asked, just to make sure. Dream was certainly not her name.

There was rustle of what sounded like fabric and then a mutter of unintelligent words. Perhaps he was just confused. She didn't know what he was to be confused over, though. Everyone in the village knew she was blind.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, a hint of indifference and dislike in his voice. Apparently he forgot their conversation of just one minute ago. He had also made no move to help her. But perhaps she could find where he was...?

Miku stepped forward and away from the tree, hoping to find something familiar or something she could use to find her way around the village. "I got lost," she said while taking another step forward. She felt even more lost now with ground feeling the same everywhere and no definite surroundings. "I think?" she added on with again, another step.

"You think you go lost?" the voice questioned incredulously.

"I don't know," she said with a smile. This really was an odd situation and he was certainly an odd person. She took another step forward but this time tripped on a raised stone. She caught herself on what felt like the side of a house. "Sorry," she quickly said, not sure where she was or if she was disturbing him. She waited a bit in what became another silence. Then an awkward hand reached out and took her own that was set firmly on the side of the building.

Did the hand belong to the man she had been talking with? But what long nails he had. She could feel them off the ends of his lanky fingers. "Thank you," she said happily with a wide grin in the direction that the hand came from as he led to where he sat. It was apparently the inside of the house she had fallen against.

"Of course," came a muffled reply. Was it cold? It sounded like he was talking from behind a hand or something. But, it was so warm out. She laughed softly behind her own hand.

He was certainly odd, whoever he was.


	3. Taunting

**Oh shnap (try saying it like that. It's fun, I promise). I forgot to mention something way back when and probably will from here out.**

**Standard Issue Disclaimer that-will-hopefully-count-for-all-chapters (that last part was the fine print): I own nothing pertaining to Vocaloids or even the video this story is based from. Seriously, I may be amazingfaic (ego stroking), but I'm not _that _wonderful.**

**Hohum. If my notes come out like this, maybe I should be one of those who just shouldn'tmake author notes(, neh?)**

**(just did that last part to be annoying. Alright, I'm done now.)**

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"And then there was the lantern festival last year!" she happily exclaimed, starting another story.

Why was she still here?

"There was this one game where you had to use a paper net to catch a fish, but I wasn't so good at it."

She should be gone. Should have left for the village, never to come back again.

"It was still fun though because Len and Rin helped me catch one. I couldn't keep care of it though, so I let it back in the river."

Just what possessed him to allow this girl to stay, drabbling on about her cozy life in society?

"I'm not sure if it was the river or the rice fields though," she said with a happy laugh. Did nothing bother this girl? He had just spent the last hour or so listening to every word she said about the village and her day to day life. That wasn't the painful part of the experience though. What had been a blow to his pride was that he actually lowered himself to the ground, and bandaged her foot. Apparently she lost a sandal and gained a decent sized cut on the arch of her foot.

His eyes shifted to the piece of cloth that used to be part of his sleeve, but was now used as a wrap. Why did he even care to help her? She wasn't his responsibility. She was just some girl who wandered to his house of her own will, was blind, and absolutely helpless.

Alright, he felt like a jerk for saying he shouldn't help her, but she certainly had no reason to stay. "Are you..." he started, trailing off in a search for the right words. "Are you hurt?" Idiot. Of course she was hurt. The slice in her foot proved it. The demon felt like slapping himself, but settled for harshly running his hand through hair.

"No, I should be fine. Thank you," she smiled.

He looked away. The blue-green haired girl next to him had been there for quite some time now. Surely her people must be worried, considering that she couldn't see. The white wrapping around her head that covered her eyes proved it. Perhaps she would have to leave soon...?

"I should probably head back home," the village girl said, as if reading his thoughts. He frowned.

"You can't," he sputtered before even knowing what he was saying. Great, now he would make a fool of himself for saying that she couldn't go home. "I mean," he searched for the right words again, "You're hurt and it's getting late. The humans are also far away down the path."

"Humans?" she questioned, not the word's meaning, but more why he used it the way he did.

"Yes, the village is far away," he said, laying down on his side to face away from her. In truth, the stone trail wasn't that great of a distance, but that wasn't the point. The sun was setting and she was blind. It just wasn't a good combination. Or maybe he was just making excuses...?

There was an awkward silence rolling through the air before she finally spoke. "Does that mean I can stay?"

"Yes," he answered before his mind could even register what it was saying. Really, he needed to watch that.

"Thank you," she said, sounding like she truly meant it. "Maybe I should bring you a present next time."

Say what?

He rolled back over to face her, his expression riddled in disbelief. She had laid down too and her face was too close for his own comfort. "Do you even know who I am?" He sat up, not wanting to look at her eyes, er, face. "Giving a gift to me? Are you blind?!"

"Well, yes."

His hand connected to his forehead. That was _not_what he meant. "Miku," he started with a breath of air, not a sigh. He learned her name from one of her stories. If he remembered correctly, a man named Gakupo or something said, "A beautiful girl deserves to own a beautiful flower." He nearly gagged, but there was no need to. "Do you know who I am?"

She shook her head "no." Of course. If she did know, then she wouldn't be there, now would she? He opened his mouth to tell her. To say that he was a demon, but no words came out. Why couldn't he just say that he was a demon and that she should leave? It was what he wanted, right? He balled his fists in his hair. So far, this girl was more trouble than she was worth. It was getting late though. Perhaps that was it. He couldn't tell her to get lost because of how late it was. He was too tired and it was too dangerous. That must be it. This finding still did nothing to ease his rush of stress.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice resonating behind him. Should he turn around and yell or brood quietly? He chose the latter. A silence soon followed and he welcomed it graciously. Until she broke it, that is. "I see," Miku paused. He swore she was taunting him by bringing the needed quiet, and then taking it away with that soft sound that came from her throat. "If you don't want to talk anymore, then that's fine." She still held a joyful tone about her. Again with the taunting and again with that ignorance. Really, nothing bothered the girl!

He tightened his hold around his blue locks of hair. A shuffling was heard behind him. Then, he felt her place a hand on his shoulder. He chose not to slap it away like he normally would have, thinking she was merely trying to find out where he was. That hand was accompanied by another. He tensed. It felt like he would end up ripping his own hair out.

Her hands then fluttered over to his own. "Stop touching me!" he screamed through his mind, finding himself unable to do anything. She lightly pulled his hands away from his head, more than likely giving no effort of her own to remove them. Before he knew it, the demon found himself being pulled back to rest on her lap, her warm fingers tracing the frame of his face.

"Stop it!" he repeated to himself.

Slowly, the soothing touch began to lull him to sleep. He felt her trailing through the start of his hair line, following to his ears, and then back again.

"Just stop," he thought, this time without any energy. He had already given in.

Her path moved further into his hair. His hand shot up and gripped her wrist. "Don't," he said, finally able to voice something. She couldn't find out. At least, not like that. Find out that he was a demon from those horrid things sprouting from his head. The two small horns. He had been called an ogre once because of those, and he supposed that wasn't far off, but that didn't change that they were there.

His mind shifted back to Miku. He was getting far too comfortable with her. Too trusting. Too _feeling_. She couldn't stay. "Tomorrow, you'll have to leave," he whispered, not wanting to exert his voice more than that. Another silence soon followed that calmed him even more. The darkness kept calling out to him. He couldn't stay away from it any longer. Sleep finally pulled the blue haired man out of consciousness.

The last thing he heard was two delicate words, deliciously coated in what would forever remain known as "her voice":

"I know."

It was _taunting _him.


	4. Leave

A twitter of chirping birds fluttered through the air, bringing her back into the world. How long had she been asleep? It was always so hard to tell. In addition to that, she didn't even know where she was sometimes. It was troublesome, but it was who she was and she didn't mind.

"What time is it?" she asked wearily, the effects of morning drowsiness evident in her voice.

"Just past dawn," an answer echoed. It was from him. So he hadn't left or taken her back to the village yet.

His voice came from nearby, but she couldn't tell where. He was probably outside. Miku wanted to go and find him, yet she couldn't. There was an unfamiliar wall to her side and the floor spread out more than she remembered. That meant she had been moved, so she just sat there listening to the morning quiet. The beautiful hums of the animals and forest life breathing in the morning dew, the wind's soft caresses through the leaves, and the rhythmic pattern of soft breathing. It was all enchanti-

Soft breathing? So he was nearby! Miku was unsure whether to be happy or not, but why should she not be? Oh, right.

She had to leave.

It wasn't something that had bothered her before, yet it now felt like a burden. That only added to the tense atmosphere that had now started to build. Was he upset? Perhaps that is to be expected, considering he has had to take care of a blind girl. Last night though, wasn't it she who took care of him? What had happen anyway?

Miku remembered the man drifting to sleep and her desire to run her fingers through his hair to find what he was hiding. She was able to resist, but her curiosity still burned. After that, she fell asleep sitting up, unable to bring herself to move or stay awake any longer.

"I have to go, don't I?" she asked quietly. The corners of her lips were pulling down into a makeshift frown.

There was a shuffle of fabric across the polished wood. She felt his soft skin and long finger nails carefully land on her own hand. "You know-" he said, struggling to find the words. The gentle man restarted, "Do you want to leave?"

"What?" Wasn't that a strange question. Like, an invitation to stay there forever. But that was silly. Of course she had to return home.

His hand quickly pulled away. "I mean, do you want to leave now?"

That was a painful question. It was demanding her to decide between a new friend and her family. Family was always the obvious answer, but she wanted to be able to meet him again. "Meiko will worried."

A small silence spread between them. "Alright," he said, "I'll take you back." Another rustling of cloth and his hand came back to hers. She took it this time and he helped her up before guiding her to the outside. "Watch your step."

She nodded and carefully stepped down, her left foot discovering its sandal. She slipped on quickly before turning to her right where she assumed he was. A smile was scrolled across her face, happy to have had the time they shared together. It sounded like he made a small huff from behind his hand again. Perhaps it was the morning cold...?

"This way," he muttered, his unique voice muffled by his hand still. She stood still, listening to the scuff of his sandals for three steps, a pause, and then three more steps in her direction. "Sorry." His thin fingers cupped her own and he began to lead her down the stone path. It felt worn from weather, but not from use beneath her right foot. Did he not get many visitors?

"Are you lonely?" Miku asked, voicing her thoughts.

He hesitated mid-step before continuing their slow pace. "No. There is no need to be lonely."

"That's not a good reason," she said, perhaps because she wanted to hear him talk. It was nice to listen to his calming voice.

His grip around her hand tightened slightly. "There is no need to be lonely, so I'm simply not. What better reason is that?"

She thought about it. Was there really a better reason than that? Was there even a reason to be lonely in the first place? No, he had to be lonely. Everyone needed someone, and it seemed like he had no one. She would have to visit more often than just this one accident.

"We're here," he said quietly, a sadness weighing on the usual flutter that came with his voice. The aquamarine haired girl confirmed this with another step and heard the creak of the old wooden bridge built to cross the small creak.

It surprised her. "Already? But it took so long yesterday."

He chuckled softly, she smiled more widely. "I think it's because you went to the river instead."

His hand let go of her own, leaving hers to feel rather empty. She turned around, her back to the village, and moved her head to the direction she thought she heard him from. "Thank you, really. I'll be sure to visit again, I promise."

"You can't," he replied quickly, the sadness even more apparent now. She opened her mouth to ask why, but he beat he to it. "The humans wouldn't... they wouldn't like it. You can't come with the reason of 'visiting'."

She thought about asking about his word choice again, but that hardly mattered at the moment. "What if it wasn't just to visit? What if I brought you something everyday?"

Miku heard a sad smile in his next words, "If I know it is you waiting here, even when I'm far away, then I'll come and find you." She began to think of ways for him to be able to hear her. There were certainly possibilities. Suddenly and unexpectedly, a cool hand brushed strands of hair from her face. "But you have to be quiet," he added.

She felt a sudden worry and despair of never meeting this odd man again. "Then how can I-" She stopped her sentence, feeling his sad smile again.

"Try something, even if you don't think it will work. I'm less average than you may think."

The blind girl was in a small awe. This man hardly seemed like the same one from the night before. He was more compassionate, more understanding now. She would definitely meet him again. But she still needed to know-

"What's your name?" she asked innocently.

"My... name?" There was obvious nervousness in his voice. "Um," he paused, a hesitant silence settling between them.

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**And a twist appears! Don't worry, it's thought out and fun. :D**

**Anyway, thank you all for reviewing and even reading. I admit, I was kinda afraid of a reader loss when I saw the number of Vocaloid stories increasing, but it's cool. I don't know how long this story will be, it was planned to be a short one that only ran for four-six chapters, but that isn't working out.**

**Again, thank you all for your wonderful reviews.~**


	5. Disappointment

**Not much of a cliff-hanger if I give you the conclusion within twenty-four hours, neh? Well, don't get too excited. This is a REALLY short chapter.**

**Why is it so pathetic? Because Kaito can't do as much as I thought he could without Miku doing a whole lot first, so the next one will be long enough to make up for this, kay?**

**Can't really complain with how fast this came out anyway. xD**

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The demon felt unable to control the movement of his lips as they fell into a sad frown. "Try something, even if you don't think it will work. I'm less average than you may think," he said, lightening his mood with his own touch of cynicism. Of course he wasn't average. He was a _demon_ for goodness sake.

His blue orbs fluttered to the look of awe on her half-covered face. What could she be thinking?

"What's your name?" she asked. His heart felt like it just caved in on itself. His _name_?

"My... name?" he echoed his thoughts, nervous to the core. Did he ever have one? Something that people addressed him by? OH! That's right! There was a variety of them and he started to form a mental list: Demon, Monster, Ogre, _Cannibal_. Only the first three of those were true, but any of them hardly seemed like a good choice. "Um," he stuttered, a mix of hesitation and panic coming over him.

He looked up to the sky for help, as if asking the Gods for a name to give. The blue haired demon's eyes landed on a lone paper kite, fluttering in the wind with a red hue to it. "Kaito," he blurted.

"Kaito," she said, trying out the sound of it. Miku's expression rearranged itself into one of her glowing smiles, "It suits you."

Well now what? "Uh, thank you...?" He was unsure of his new name and of the new compliment. Should he express gratefulness, or indifference? Play it down as nothing or simply nod? Alright, that last one was silly considering she couldn't see, but still.

"I need to go now," he stated, trying as hard as he could to not make it sound as plain as hardtack. When had running away been listed as an option? He watched as her smile dropped and was replaced with combination of confusion and sadness.

"I will see you again, won't I?"

Did she really need such meaningless reassurance? It started to feel like he was in some poorly written romance with an obvious ending. "You should head home," he muttered, before turning around and heading back up the forested stone path. She made no move to stop him and no effort express him wanting to stay as he walked away. Was he... disappointed?

No, of course not. There was no need to be disappointed, so he simply wasn't.

A sort of tip-tap and shuffle across beaten dirt fluttered to his ear suddenly. The demon spun around, positive that he would see the blind girl behind him.

She wasn't there.

Again, there was no need to be disappointed. They would have been forced to part ways in the end anyhow. His eyes followed the path all the way to what he could see of the small bridge. When was the last time he crossed that bridge...? He didn't know, but continued to ponder on it if only to drown himself in meaningless thoughts. The blue clad demon went back to heading towards his isolated home.

Before it seemed like an oasis, a pure spot in the world, untainted from the cruelties of reality. Now he realized that it was in fact a ship. A sailing ship that had been shot by the cold truth of the world and was now sinking.

He was alone; drowning in his own company and no one elses.

This had never been a problem before, so why was it now? None of it added up. It all had to be a dream. What else would it be, but that? He ran his hand through his smooth hair, exhaling lightly as he came upon the end of the path. He sank down onto the polished floors, closing his eyes to the morning and daring sleep to take him once more.

Minutes ticked by and so did his patience. The lull of resting detachment from the world and an empty mind would not come. There was almost a reason to be disappointed now, but that is almost. There was no need to be completely disappointed.


	6. Try

**I never really noticed before this chapter how difficult it was to write as a blind girl without sounding too repetitive. Well, tell me what cha think. x3**

**Oh, and remember how I said this chapter would be long enough to make up for the last one? Well, it didn't come out like I had hoped. Originally, this was supposed to go through more of the story, but I just had to end it where I did. Just HAD TO. I do like it though. Honestly, looking back at it now, I hate the last one and I kinda want to redo, but won't. **

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He told her to go home without so much as a good-bye. Miku started to feel a little down about that, but then felt silly. Why he tell her good-bye when they were still going to meet each other? No, she knew he would talk to her again soon. It was like an unspoken promise between friends. And oh, how she was excited for their next meeting! For their next shared silences! For their next "hello" together.

When she could no longer hear the drag of his steps across the stone path, she turned around and walked slowly across the small wooden bridge back into the village with a wide smile spread across her face. Her day couldn't possibly go wrong. Miku knew that nothing could possibly take away from the memory of him.

"Miku! Thank goodness you're alright!" a frantic voice yelled in front of her, followed by a scuffled running. "What happen to you?!" Meiko asked in her worried voice.

She smiled. "I went down to the river and ended up getting I-"

"At least you're okay," she breathed, cutting off the blind girl. "Now, let's get you inside."

Meiko took the other girl's hand and escorted her to that oh-so-familiar house that they shared. Miku could feel Meiko's fingers and her nails as they pulled her around. She had heard before that Meiko was one of the prettiest girls in the village and pretty meant she had nice hair, lovely eyes, and long, delicate fingernails. Miku found it odd because Kaito had longer nails that Meiko's. His hair felt nicer too. She was unsure about his eyes, but if the sound of his voice was any indication, then the man must have been breath-taking.

The air current and rough steps changed around them. She was inside now. Meiko let go of her hand, knowing that Miku could move on her own now. The aquamarine haired girl let her arm drop, slid off her sandal, and moved across the room to her chair. It was never moved and sat in by anyone other than her self, and it was positioned at a window too. Miku preferred that spot because she could feel the cool breeze from outside and talk to everyone who passed by.

"Miku! You're back!" a familiar voice said just outside the window, having stopped to talk to her.

The blind girl smiled and nodded. "Good Morning Luka," she greeted kindly. Luka was also said to be pretty, but her presence wasn't as calming as his... How was she going to tell him to meet her again? There were many ways, but none of which were quiet.

It was then that Miku noticed a new scent that followed the pretty girl. "A new flower...?" she asked, knowing that Luka always like to carry sweet smelling flowers with her. This one however, was far stronger than the rest.

"You like it?" chimed the visitor. "I found it growing in the medow behing Leon's and just had to have one. I've never seen a flower like this before, have you?"

Perhaps she forgot for an instant that Miku couldn't see, but it was okay. The aquamarine-haired girl kept her smile in place and shook her head "no" in reply.

"Well, I have to go meet with Miriam for the festival. It's glad to have you back, hmm?" Miku listened to her steps as she walked away, off to continue her day.

Now, with Luka making plans with Miriam and Meiko doing who-knows-what, the blind girl was left on her own until the next visitor happens to pass by. She let the soft melody of nature and the village flood into her ears, but it wasn't the same. It just wasn't the same as it had been before. Before it was the most soothing and musical array of sounds that she had ever heard. Listening to it now only reminded her of the serene chorus that seemed to follow Kaito where ever he went. She just needed to find a way to call out to him.

"_Try something, even if you don't think it will work._"

He did say that. But, what could she possibly try that would have a chance of working?

"_I'm less average than you may think._"

There was nothing to lose, so why not? Tomorrow, Miku decided, she will find something that works.

* * *

A sizzling crackle floated through the air. Then a short squeak of pain. Miku quickly dropped the match and stomped it out, holding her new burn between her teeth. A lantern apparently wouldn't work. Thinking about it now, she supposed it was a foolish idea in the first place. After all, she couldn't see the match or wick. How would she even know if it was lit? The forest probably clouded the path anyway.

The corners of her lips dropped slightly. How many attempts did this make? She had already tried a quiet whistling, waving a brightly colored fan, dropping stones into the stream, and kicking up the dirt in front of the bridge with her new sandals, but nothing worked. The blind girl was slowly starting to loose hope.

With a sigh, she turned around and headed back into the village. That new fragrance from yesterday entered Miku's senses. That meant Luka was near by.

"That's so pretty!" she heard Rin say, voice coated in admiration.

Useless plots and plans swam through her mind, each in vain, as she sauntered towards her own doorway.

"Thank you. I plan to use them in the festival this year," Luka replied, modest and charming as always.

Her rough hands came in contact with the bamboo frame.

"It smells great too," the younger girl commented.

Miku took a step inside.

"You could probably smell it from anywhere."

She stopped. What was that? Miku turned around and stepped swiftly in the direction of the conversation.  
"Luka," she started, becoming slightly nervous of interrupting the two girls, "Could I- Um, by chance would you-" Miku silently scolded herself to just ask the question and get it over with. "CanIpleasehaveone?" There, she said it.

"You mean a flower?" the pretty girl asked. Her tone made it sound like she held a confused look. "Sure, I don't mind."

Her face was instantly overcome by a wide smile as the soft stem was placed in her outstretched hand. Miku didn't remember when she raised that hand, but she was certainly glad she did. "Thank you," she quickly blurted for good manners before hurrying off to the bridge. At least no one worried about her knowing where she going and making her slow down. They all knew that Miku knew where everything was in the village. It was outside the boundaries that she was unaware of.

Miku stopped when she heard the first creak of the small bridge. This would work, right? Of course. It had to. There were no other ways left, so why not. She pulled her hand away from her chest and then stood there, silently waiting. The sweet aroma of the flower wafted through the breeze and it seemed like even the birds responded to it. The stream flowed harmoniously, the trees rustled with a vibrant beat.

And there she stood; waiting. She stood there waiting for him to find her so they could share more time together. She waited for him to come and greet her, then guide her away from her day to day life and into his own secluded realm. It was where nature reigned supreme and sweet silence controlled everything. It was where the soft melodies of his voice would greet her ears every now and then. Where he would be there to see her as an equal and not as a helpless girl. It was where they would exchange awkward, but entertaining conversations. His world was the only place where her name would mean as much as it did when he said-

"Miku?" Yes, just like that; coated in the musical tone that only he possessed. And when he used her name, she would always be sure to reply-

"Kaito." A smile of relief was now painted across her face. Salty tears started to build up from behind her bandages. She couldn't help but breath out, emotions attempting to choke her voice, "You came."


	7. Self Abuse

He had been deceived. Fooled. Tricked by himself, in truth. The demon only realized this the next morning, though. That was when he continued to sit there, in his secluded world from society, doing absolutely nothing. For the first time in his life, he was bored. It should have been that there was no reason to be bored, so he simply wasn't. That is what he should have been able to say, but the blue haired man was never very good at _completely_ lying to himself. He let out a low breath of air, his chin resting on his palm as he looked down the stone path. Because of the foliage lining it, he was only able to see halfway.

How long had he been like that? Just sitting by himself with nothing to do. It was almost ironic, in a sense. Before there was almost too much to do in his day. Now he couldn't even recall one of the tasks he was supposed to do. He just sat there, complete silence weaving its way around him. It calming. And soothing. And peaceful. And driving him _crazy_. What happened to the comfort that he usually flourished in with the same silence? He felt restless, like he needed to get up and do _something,_ or he just might explode.

Not that the village people would mind if that happened.

There it was again: his cynicism. The demon frowned, still watching the quiet path. Somehow, he felt that he would go crazy if he had to deal with himself any longer. Just the itching irritation was bad enough. Now he had to deal with his own mental ramble.

A bird fluttered down onto one of the lower branches of the tree next to the path. He had forgotten what kind of tree it was -- didn't really care -- and pushed it from his mind. The brilliant little blue bird then started to sing, shattering the blanket of silent peace. It sung a happy melody of chirps and twitters, sharing its own delight with the rest of the world. His frown turned to a grimace. He couldn't stand listening to it and realized how he had just contradicted himself. The horrible quiet had been broken, but not by what he wanted it to be. He didn't want some bird to hold his attention. He wanted to hear... actually, he didn't know. He didn't know what he wanted and, oh, how it frustrated him.

Grimace still in place, the demon in his fine silks lay down against the polished floor. He closed his eyelids, suddenly tired, and tried to drift to sleep. Being asleep would certainly be better. The demon switched to only paying attention to his senses, pushing away his constant trail of meaningless thoughts. There was the soft, silk robes that he wore every day. The light and airy tune sung by the little bird. The sweet and enchanting scent unlike anything he had the pleasure of smelling before. And-

He opened his brilliant blue eyes and sat up with a tired groan. Far too curious to lay back down, the blue haired demon slowly stood up, now focusing on the path. It was an opportunity to actually do something and _move_. Heaven forbid he'd stay laying there all day. After he slipped his sandals on, he let out another breath of air before starting down the unused path. With no other way to occupy his time, he let his mind wander to guessing about what could be at the village. Of course he wouldn't enter it. Goodness no. He wouldn't even cross the bridge, but he would still look. But what could it be? Had someone made a new pastry? A new perfume? Perhaps a merchant had stopped by? That seemed to make sense. After all, a merchant would have interesting goods from other places all across the land. If it was a new good, then what colors would it have? Shades of blue were always pleasant. Then again, the color blue was starting to annoy him. He was already surrounded by it all day, so why have more? White seemed more appealing. Yes, a white... whatever-it-is would be nice.

There was no longer that grimace painted across his face, and now he had a better mood as he traveled down towards the village still. He pushed a branch out of his line of vision, not bothering to just move over on the path, and just stopped. He stopped walking. He stopped thinking. He almost stopped _breathing_. There she stood, waiting, her eyes covered by clean bandages that were in turn covered by her unique, blue-green hair. She held a white flower that he had never seen before against her light green kimono, and still remained in place. Was she waiting for him...?

"Miku?" he called out, not sure if she was really there, but enjoying the way her name felt.

"Kaito," she whispered in reply, her lips twisting into a sad smile of relief. "You came." It sounded like she was ready to cry.

Well, what now? He imagined himself saying something like, "Of course I did." But then it would seem like one big cliche. If he tried to comfort her, it would come out as something like, "Um... Sorry. I- uh, I'm glad you're okay." Obviously, that was a no. Saying nothing would make him seem like a jerk. Actually, wasn't he doing that now by just thinking to himself...? He panicked and said the next words that came to mind; "That's a pretty flower."

Idiot.

The demon felt like he should slap himself in the face at the very moment, or at least mutter harsh curses at himself. Again, though, those options were rude. He settled for harshly running his hand through his messy locks of hair. When he looked back at her, he saw the salt water running down her face from the soaked bandages and had two initial thoughts: she has an amazing smile, and she was even prettier when she cried. He felt like a dirt-bag for thinking of making her cry purposely, even if he only thought of it for a second. That wasn't what he should be concerned about though. Did he hurt her feelings? He didn't think so, but he still wanted to know. "Are you," he started, but trailed off as he brought his right hand up to her face. He hesitated, not sure if he had the right to actually touch or not. "Are you alright?" He pushed his hesitation out of his mind and placed his palm against her left cheek, gently brushing the tears away, while being careful to not hurt her with his nails.

She made a small nod, pausing to choke down more tears before speaking. "I'm just..." She paused with a short sob again. "I'm so happy. You're really here." There she went again, saying things he couldn't quite understand and giving a smile without reason. Miku held his hand to her cheek, and he winced back the reaction of pulling away. There the two of them stood, just outside the village on a little bridge. They merely stood there while time played its trick of stretching out each second to an eternity. At the first breeze through the tree tops, Miku released his hand and smiled up at him.

The demon could have sworn that her face would stick like that if she smiled anymore than she already did, not that he would mind. That sort of expression suited her. Now he was unsure of what to do next. Should they just stand there and talk awkwardly? No, he couldn't do that. Heaven forbid the villagers saw him. Actually, most of them wouldn't recognize him unless they saw those horrible horns poking out of his skull. The only one who could instantly point him out was Dell Honne, if he remembered correctly, but that was only because Dell was given the task to bring him whatever he needed weekly. The blue-haired demon almost laughed at that because that man was viewed as the unlucky soul to deliver whatever was needed to keep the demon away.

Focusing away from his ever-present cynicism, he carefully took her hand to lead her up the path to his prison of sorts. "This way," he muttered, suddenly feeling guilty again. If this situation was seen by anyone, he would guaruntee that they would think of him as the demon stealing the maiden away from her family. Of course, it was assumed that the demon would eat her, wed her, or keep the maiden. The maiden would be depressed and lose all hope, of course. Then some hero would come, slay the demon, and take the maiden away who instantly falls in love wit-

"Kaito?" the blind girl called, her voice slicing its way through his mind. "Why don't you live in the village?"

He flinched, pausing briefly before continuing to guide her up the smooth pathway. In the back of his mind, he wondered how she had yet to trip or fall, considering she was blind, but ignored it. How could he answer her question? Lying...? But that would leave such a bitter feeling. The truth...? Pfft. No. That would be condemning himself to a life alone again. "I... just like the quiet," he lied. It was so painfully easy to preserve their peace with that one lie. Actually, he was able to say it so effortlessly that it frightened him. He didn't want to lie to her, _ever_.

"Well, as long as you're happy," she chuckled, her tone showing she believed every bit of it and was relieved. He already knew what a naive, innocent, and pure girl Miku was. He knew, and maybe that's what made him feel sick with himself. Because he knew how charmingly ignorant she was, he abused it.

"I am." He said it with false happiness. As expected, she didn't pick up on it. The demon didn't want her to, though, so it all worked out. His lips were currently pressed into a tight, thin line and his eyes held a pained guilt. He started to wonder if wanting to spend time with her was a form of masochism if he felt this way. Leaving his mental self-abuse for a moment, the demon noticed that they were, in fact, at his secluded house. "We're here," he breathed out with relief. He glanced back at Miku to see her expression light up and that trademark smile glow even more. He felt a little proud of himself, being able to create that look.

When he had led her to the stone slab used to place sandals on, he let go of her and sat exactly where he was before leaving to investigate the new scent. Glancing at her right hand, he saw that she still held that curious white flower. His lips turned up into what felt like a small smile, and he instantly noticed his own unusual expression. The sliver of a grin disappeared instantly. He watched her slip off her sandals, most likely new, also noticing that she still had the bandage from yesterday around her foot, and she cautiously took a seat beside him. Her precaution was obviously from not being able to see, but he couldn't help but think it was because he was there. Why was he always so cynical? It was getting ridiculous.

"Miku," he started while looking at her, once again finding a small joy out of the way her name felt. "Do you-" This time he stopped himself from asking a stupid question like, "Do you like me?" Another one would have been, "Do you want to stay?" There were a few others that he could blurted out if he spoke without thinking, but he wasn't about to delve into what those were. "How was your morning?" he asked as he turned away and his cheeks warmed slightly. It was a bland question, but it would obviously have the best results.

* * *

**I have to admit, that was pretty good. Not much really _happened_, but it was a good Kaito development run.**

**On a side note, I'm looking for a Beta Reader if anyone is interested. It would help out a lot. Especially on chapters like the last one where I end up trying to throw an almost poetic feel into it (a bad habit of mine).**

**Be on the look out for when Kaito starts referring to himself as "Kaito" instead of "the demon" because it just shows how he's changing. I also like to do meanings behind names and all that jazz.**

**You can stop reading now because the rest of this is just to clear up any possible questions or confusions. xD  
Alright, now when you come across Kaito saying "Do you like me?" and "Do you want to stay?" I think it's good to point out he never actually _says_ those. He stops himself from saying one of those or some other question, but yeah.  
Another thing about those, he doesn't actually mean those word for word. Like, when he thinks "Do you like me?" he means "Do you enjoy my company?" Likewise, "Do you want to stay?" means "Are you sure you want to spend time with me?"  
Yeah, I'm a spaz with hidden meanings and crap. I know.**

**Anyway, thank you everyone for reviewing! I seriously love/appreciate it.  
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't review some more. xD**


	8. The Sky

**Read, enjoy, and review as usual. And please, feel free to make a wordy review. They make me so thrilled for writing the next chapter of this that it's silly. Really. xD**

* * *

"Miku," he said. It was only her name, but she loved the way he pronounced those two consonant sounds so brilliantly. Alright, maybe he wasn't really speaking brilliantly, but it certainly sounded like it. "How was your morning?"

She grinned, her cheeks rising up to meet the bottom of the wet bandages. Her morning? It was different, so she supposed that would count as a good morning. She had started her day by thinking of ways to contact him and then actually doing a number of them until one worked. Miku was glad that she didn't give up _completely._ It would have been upsetting only to live her life out in that little house again. "I was trying to call you," she said innocently, kind and honest, as always. It sounded like he coughed in reply. Or was it a choke?

"Kaito, are you okay?" she asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm... fine," he muttered from what sounded like behind his hand. Perhaps his cold was getting worse...? That would explain the cough and why he was always talking behind his hand.

An odd silence settled between them. It was quiet, and Miku liked that, but it felt a little uncomfortable with Kaito there. It was like something _needed _to be said, but it wasn't. She tried to think of things to talk about -- something to mention or even gossip over -- but nothing came to mind. Was there really nothing they could discuss? No, there couldn't be. They could talk about something, and she knew it! If they couldn't, then why was she even there? When you want to spend time with someone, you want to speak with them. That's how it always was. So, why was there nothing now? It felt wrong. She needed to say something, if only to hear his reply. She would finish, and he would reply. She wanted to hear it. She wanted to hear his reply. Miku wanted to hear his voice.

But that was selfish.

"Um, should I- just hold on," Kaito babbled, nervous. She listened to the the wood floor creaked slightly as he got up. He walked farther into the house and started to shuffle through some belongings of his. She could only guess what they were though, considering she was blind and all.

It was a nice, cool day, and the birds were singing happily to each other again. It made Miku want to sing with them, but that was silly.

An vibrating echo of an instrument falling to the ground met her ears. She turned curiously as Kaito muttered low and quiet curses, shuffling around even more materials. It sounded like a mix of boxes, paper, and that strange instrument. She puzzled over what it could be, becoming more and more interested.

"Was that a sha-"

"It was nothing," he quickly interrupted.

As if. It was clearly _something_. _Nothing_ didn't make noise, after all. She considered asking him if he was alright, but that seemed foolish. Asking tiny questions like that all the time would surely get old and she didn't want him to be irritated.

"Here it is," he muttered. What was it that he was looking for? Kaito slowly walked back to his place beside her and took a seat. He seemed to move with elegance, from what she could tell. "Please turn around." It felt like he wasn't really speaking _to_ her when he said it, but she still listened. "I was thinking that it might be good to change them," he started, bringing his hands to the knot beneath her hair. He had referred to her bandages, of course. "It wouldn't be good to leave them so wet." Now how should she read this? Was it a kind gesture or something more? Was it even a valid excuse? She never heard of anything negative coming from wet bandaging, but then again, she had never cried with the wrapping around her head before.

Miku quietly sat there as Kaito unspun the damp material from around her head. He was very gentle and careful not to harm her. She couldn't help but wonder if he was always this cautious. That would certainly be interesting. A man living separate from the village, always careful and cautious. It sort of reminded her of when she was learning her way around the village. Everyone was so kind and considerate, even with her more ridiculous questions.

OH! There it was! Something to talk about! "I remember when I was still finding my way around," she started her story, Kaito just finishing unwrapping to pause and listen. "That I always asked these silly questions. One time, Meiko-san told me that the sky was blue. I said, 'What does the sky feel like?' She then laughed." Miku chuckled a bit herself before continuing, "She said, 'You can't _feel_ the sky. You can only look at it.' I didn't understand then, but I do now. The sky is just one of those things you can see, but never feel. Even if _I_ can't see it." She chuckled again at the end of her sentence, then sat in silence, waiting for a reply.

There was none.

"Kaito?" she called.

"Close your eyes," he said softly after a bit. She had never opened them, but nodded a little to tell him they were closed. She didn't get it. Why was he upset about that? Well, maybe he wasn't really upset, but more interested. Yeah, that was it. He was interested in the difference between they way they both live their lives and was just thinking about it to himself. That _must _have been it... right?

A soft, smooth fabric was placed over her eyes. It was unlike her usual bandages, so she had to ask, "What is this?" She lifted her hand to feel it, but dropped to her lap again as he continued wrapping it around.

"It's nothing. Just some spare cloth." It sounded like he was sad now. She knew because she had also spoken in that tone before, but she was wearing a sad smile each time. She didn't push the question any farther than that. Miku simply chose to enjoy the feel of the new fabric without question. Now that she noticed, it smelled nice too. Sort of like a sweet lavender, but not, at the same time. She couldn't hold back the small smile that fluttered across her face.

Kaito knotted the end with a small tug. "Finished," he whispered, more to himself than her. He sounded better now, like he had sometime to just think everything over. "Hey, Miku" he started, that sad smile sound reappearing. Alright, so maybe he wasn't better yet. "Can the birds touch the sky?"

"What?"

"The birds. If they can see the sky, too, can they fly to it? Can the birds touch the sky when all others can't?"

Miku pondered it for a bit. It was certainly a strange question, especially for a blind girl, but she had been told that birds fly in the sky. If they flew there, then why not?

"I suppose they can."


	9. Innocence

He had never really thought about it before. Never thought about the sky, that is. It used to be something that was always there and constant, so the demon didn't pay any attention to it. Miku was right, though. It was something that one could only see, not touch. As much as they may try, people could only watch it beautifully hang above them, forever unreachable. Perhaps that was why the color blue represented sadness.

He couldn't help but wonder if that sort of situation followed other aspects of normal life. Then again, his life was different. He was a dangerous beast, after all, right? A loathsome monster. A horrible _demon_. The blue-haired demon thought about it more and more, only to come to the same conclusion every time: the sky was untouchable. To him, it could be compared to a normal life. He could watch the people live out their days happily and among others, but he would never be able to have what they possessed. Would never have anything like them. He looked up from his thin hands to the back of Miku's head, the white, silk sash shining underneath her long hair.

Could anything reach where he couldn't? Could anything leave this cursed and gilded cage of his? It was if he was a trapped bird that no one wanted to see... If that was true, though, then it would mean...

"Hey Miku," he said, calling her attention to himself. He hoped she couldn't hear the strained smile in his voice. "Can the birds touch the sky?"

"What?"

"The birds," he repeated. "If they can see the sky too, can they fly to it? Can the birds touch the sky when all others can't?"

She allowed a silence to pass in what he assumed was her thinking about it. "I suppose they can," she answered at last.

Was it possible for such a simple answer to give him such happiness? The blue demon clenched his hand shut around the used bandages, a mixed feeling of regret and relief stirring within himself.

"Kaito, do you play an instrument?" she asked. He barely registered that she was talking to him, too caught up in his own enjoyment of her answer and voice.

He flinched, coming out of his thoughts as she turned around to face him. She was blind, but she still had manners. It was actually rather charming. Putting that aside though, he focused on her question. It was certainly an odd something to ask. He couldn't really understand how the topic was brought up, and his curiosity got him, so he asked. "Why do you ask?" He made sure to say it gently. The last thing he wanted was for Miku to be making assumptions on his mood from the way he sounded.

"I thought I heard a shamisen fall before," she answered, simply and honestly. It seemed like such a pure and harmless reply, like she could cover her poking curiosity effortless with her normal tone.

"Well," he started, unsure of how to continue. Truth be told, he was a little embarrassed by his musical skills. He felt like, whenever he created a song, it was a tune never meant to be lived her life solely on sounds, though, so couldn't he make an exception and let her listen? "It's been a long time," he lied, downplaying it so easily. No, no, he shouldn't bother her with his silly music.

"So you do play!" she exclaimed, a happy look scrawled across her face.

He shifted his eyes away from her and to the polished shamisen in the corner. It hadn't really been that long, and he knew it. "I'm not really that great," he said. Was it modesty? No, it felt more like selfish-ness. Keeping his music to himself, forbidding her or anyone else to hear it.

"Please, just a little bit," she plead.

It felt like Miku could possess him to do anything with just a few simple words. The demon sighed softly before crossing the room. His left hand grasped the familiar and yet foreign neck of the instrument. Perhaps it had been a while.

He returned to his place beside her and rearranged himself to play, his fingers resting on the strings. His doubtful orbs took in her expecting look. It was clearly anticipating greatness, while outlined in excitement. "Promise me you won't listen to it," he said.

Her face dropped for a second before returning to its bright normalcy. "I promise," she said, so simply.

The demon paused again before running his fingers across the shamisen strings, enticing them to play a distantly familiar tune. A few simple plucks and then a cascading rhythm. He knew she wasn't listening. He knew that Miku didn't hear story as he stepped into the main melody of the piece. She couldn't possibly hear what he was saying. He couldn't either, in all honesty, because even though he felt the words at the tip of his tongue, he could not recall the words to this old tune. It was an aged piece, about lovers, no doubt. It always was. However, this held a certain... closeness to his heart.

Kaito knew he was approaching the end of the piece, but he suddenly stopped.

There was a brief moment of silence. "Why did you stop?" Miku asked, her voice not as cheerful as it always was, but enchanting all the same. This time, it held a lovely, sad tune to it.

"I can't remember the rest," he admitted shamefully. It was a song he knew so well, but he was unable to recall how it ended. Thinking of it, he wasn't even sure what it was entitled.

"That's fine. I know you'll remember it eventually, and when you do, you can finish your song."

He smiled at her, wishing she could see just how innocent she was. Dropping his eyes away from her face, the demon noticed that she had put down her flower next to her. He hadn't even realized how its scent filled the air until he saw it sitting there, no longer in Miku's hands. His hand stretched out for it and gently picked it up, being careful of his nails not to flaw it in any way. There he held the delicate white flower, pure and untainted in his hand. The blue demon traced its stem with his other hand, his mind drifting to when he first saw it. She had it, and she was waiting for him.

The tips of the white petals were starting to soften now, most likely wishing it had not been picked. If the flower hadn't been pulled from the ground, from its home, then it would still live. It wouldn't be dying in an unfamiliar place. It would still be pure for another day. Untouched to be surrounded by other flowers.

The cold demon placed it back down beside her, not wanting to taint it any further. Such innocent purity like that should be preserved. The common silence fluttered around the two of them again. Silences were always easier to handle when she was around. Perhaps because it wasn't so quiet then. Perhaps "quiet" was not the right word. More like, dead. Everything wasn't so dead and lifeless when she was around.

"Kaito," she said, using his name to strike down the silence. Somehow, with her there, he knew the silence would still live. "Can you play your shamisen for the festival?"

He took no time in showing his surprise. "What?!"

"You play it so beautifully." Miku was now facing out toward the path, her hands delicately placed on her lap. "I want everyone to be able to hear you play. Well, can you?"

He looked at her expecting smile again, once again feeling the lure of it to do her bidding. But to appear in the village?! In front of everyone!?! Unheard of!

"I can't," he answered nervously. He was unable to hide his surge of panic. "They wouldn't like it." No, she couldn't find out. Not about that. About _him_. "My music isn't good enough."

She giggled wonderfully at his nervousness. Perhaps she wasn't able to tell just how much distress he was in. "If you're worried about what everyone will say, then wear a disguise. I'm sure they won't be able to tell." She seemed so confident in the idea of hiding his identity, that even he believed it would work. "Please? I want you to be at the festival, too."

Dare he read that for more than it was worth? She wanted him at the festival? Specifically _him_? "Alright," he sputtered, his brain no longer using logic. It was running on pure emotions. "I'll do it. Tell them I am a traveler though. I don't want anyone getting worried." She held such promise for this plan, this scheme, that it seemed foolproof. How could it possibly go wrong?

Miku's smile beamed more radiantly than usual. "Oh, thank you so much!" she shouted, her voice becoming overwhelmed with excitement. Without warning, she reached out, found his shoulder, and pulled him into a hug.

This time Kaito didn't dare think of pushing her away. Instead, he paused to fully understand that it was reality, and then carefully placed his arm around her in return.

The white flower was left alone, wilting outside of its safe meadow.

* * *

**Ho snap! Symbolism galore, neh? Tell me what you think on that, please.**

**Anyway, credit to PrinceRoxas for telling me that it was a shamisen that Kaito plays in the PV in their story _Demon & Daughter_.**

**I really wanted to get through this chapter with no author comments, but eh, I'm starting to think it's hopeless for me.**

**That aside, you know what to do. ;D Thanks for reading!**


	10. Taint

"A traveler named Kaito?" Meiko repeated, her tone clearly saying that she was surprised.

"Yes, he's a," Miku paused, searching through her list of excuses. He would need the perfect cover. "He's a wandering musician! He helped me when I got lost in the forest and was interested when I told him about the festival." There was a bitter taste in Miku's mouth, not liking how it felt to lie to her dear friend.

Said friend was a clever girl, though. "He was in the forest? So, he climbed over the mountains?" she asked. She was obviously suspicious of Miku's perfect plan.

"Kaito said he was from the west."

"And he happens to be a male who can play an instrument beautifully and not take advantage of defenseless blind girl?" Meiko's tone was incredulous.

"Yes. He was very kind," she said, smiling lightly and telling the truth. He was kind. Maybe that was the reason why she wanted him to play his shamisen for everyone.

Miku felt her face heat up a bit. Was she getting sick, perhaps? Oh, that wouldn't be good. If she was sick, she might miss the celebration.

Meiko didn't respond for a while, letting the hush creep its way around them. Then she let out an exasperated sigh. "Are you sure this idiot-"

"Kaito," Miku corrected.

"Kaito, then. Are you sure he'll be here? I don't want to promise a musician and then have no one to perform. They'd cut my sake funds if that happened." There she went again, her liquor being the number-one thing on her mind. She would never share, but Miku had suspicions that it was almost as valuable as silk. Well, at least it was from the way Meiko talked about it.

Miku's expression glowed brilliantly. "Thank you, Meiko!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "I promise, he's a lovely musician." It was sort of comical how she was praising him so much after only hearing him play once. He had played a sad song then, too, but she wasn't allowed to listen to it. She had kept her promise, no matter how much the magnificent sounds of the shamisen called for her to listen just a little. "The festival will be incredible; you'll see." She laughed lightly, still delighted in the thought of sharing his melodious talent with everyone. Perhaps it was wrong of her to feel like she had the right to tell everyone about Kaito, but Miku couldn't help it. Everything he did was so bewildering that, after only knowing him for two days now, he had captivated her. She didn't understand him. He was so different from everyone else she knew, but they all lived within walking distance of each other. It almost seemed impossible for humans to be so diverse, but so close together.

"It better be," Meiko muttered before walking away. Her third step creaked toward the east end of the house, so she must have been going to the cellar. She did that often when she was stressed out… or bored.

Miku turned back to the window, facing the cool breeze from her comfortable chair. The wind was cooler now, so perhaps it was sunset? Or maybe it was later than that. She didn't know, but she didn't really care. The serene draft slowly started to ease her mind into its own form of a tender slumber. Slowly, the blind girl started to recollect on the day's events. Or rather, what happened after Kaito's agreement to play.

They had spent a large amount of time simply talking afterward. It was a typical conversation of theirs, with her telling stories and him listening or saying a little something now and then. It was sort of expected, even with them meeting just yesterday. A foreseen occurrence, but it still held a place of great importance to her.

Anyway, after they talked, Kaito said that she had to head home before it became too late. Miku listened, and he returned her to the village. It was sort of… disappointing, really. She had hoped that he would say something… amazing. He always said the most fascinating things when she least expected it, but maybe that was why.

When she had to turn around and head back into the village, though, she could have sworn she felt something odd on the back of her head -- like something was holding her hair. The feeling quickly left, but she was still curious. Miku had placed her hand on the back of her head and felt the silky material beneath her fingers. It was that fabric Kaito had used to replace her bandages. Feeling it then, the new cloth became so much more precious under her fingertips than merely around her head. It didn't deserve to be a simple wrapping. Miku had taken it off, hid it in her kimono, and then continued home with her eyes still closed. She told Meiko that it had ripped when she fell down, so that was why she had lost the covering from around her eyes. The older girl had seen and heard about the young blind girl's foolishness and crooked stroke of luck before, so she left it alone.

Stepping out of her reminiscing, Miku noticed that her face was falling into an unusual appearance. If she was right, then it was what people called a blank expression. It was abnormal to consciously notice, but she did like the feel of her standard bandages no longer against her cheekbones.

Her hand drifted up to her chest, where she had hidden the luxurious sash. It was wicked how selfishness spread so easily. She use to have nothing against offering all that she could and sharing everything that she had, but not for this. No, she was very self-centered. She knew it, too, because she felt her heart sink and breath lessen whenever she thought of letting someone else use the wonderful fabric. Actually, she didn't even like the thought of people knowing about it. She didn't want anyone to see it. No, no one else would lay eyes on her treasure.

But if that was the case, then it would be seen by no one. Miku was alright with that, though. No materialistic item would make her want to see. She had lived her life for so long without eyes that they were sort of pointless at that point.

A churning feeling of guilt ran through her as she thought about greedy she was. There was no excuse for it, but she was still unable to bring herself to let go of her possessiveness over her treasure. Perhaps it would be okay to be selfish, just this once. Only this once, and then never again.

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**Alright, ****although I know I can go farther in this chapter (and I really want to), I'm going to end it here. It's because of how I want to start the next one, and it sounds nice to end on that last line.**

**Also, anyone care to guess why this chapter is named "Taint"?**

**Yey for chapters written during detention! :D**

**Edit: Okay, I lied to you. I decided to scrap my original plan and go with this instead. I also went back and corrected the first half of this, and seven through nine (cause my teacher corrected them x3 ). Enjoy!**

**(and please review without me having to tell you. I'll actually reply to each and every one of them (now -coughcough-) :D)**

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Meiko shuffled around the small space again, apparently trying to find something. The warm feeling on her cheeks told Miku that it was morning. Maybe she would be able to visit Kaito one more time before the festival? It was tomorrow, after all.

"Got it!" Meiko shouted. The sound of more clutter falling to the ground followed her voice. The blind girl turned to her elder, awaiting explanation. "Here," she said, placing something in the girl's hands. It felt like paper mache with a lovely coat of paint to decorate it. "Go give this to the idiot."

Miku didn't even bother to correct her on his name. She just found the edges of whatever-it-was and wrapped her fingers around it. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's a mask. I figured since everyone else will be wearing masks, this would be a good way to make his fit in, but not too much. His is different from ours."

She listened to the explanation, taking in the info piece by piece. Masks for the festival; wouldn't that be fun!? She grinned widely and nodded her head. "Okay, but what will you do?" It was an interesting question. Meiko clearly trusted the blind girl, but it was unexpected that she'd let her go into the forest to find a stranger by herself.

"I have to go help Luka. Something about getting Len out of a well," she trailed off with a careless tone. "Just remember, all men are demons," she added on. It sounded like she was smiling.

With another short nod, Miku stood up from her window chair and walked along the familiar path to the door. On the way, she picked up the last white flower she had sitting by the door. Luka kindly gave her two more, but said the rest were needed for the festival. Now there were no flowers left. With one hand she pulled her sandals on. The makeshift bandage around her foot had been changed that morning. She was told that although it was still healing, it shouldn't need any covering by tomorrow, and wasn't that convenient?

Miku walked each familiar step to the bridge with a smile on her face. The white flower was in one hand and the mask in her other. She stopped on the bridge and waited. It was quiet again. Everything was so quiet. She didn't have to wait very long, though, before that peace was broken. A creak from the bridge floated up to her ears and she smiled. He was already there which led her to wonder how long she had been spacing; just thinking about nothing in particular.

"Kaito," she called. It was so easy to say his name.

"You really shouldn't see me everyday," he chided quietly, but she could tell he was happy. He couldn't hide it in his voice. "Miku," the kind man started, "What's that?"

She assumed he meant the mask because he had seen the flower before. She grinned widely, grabbed the other side of the mask with the flower still in place, and held it up for him to see. He laughed lightly before taking it from her hands.

His airy chuckle stopped.

Miku began to feel worried as the silence came around them once again. "Do you like it?" she asked. What if he hated it? What if it was something horrible and ugly?

"It's perfect," he whispered.

Her smile returned, thrilled that Meiko gave her a mask that he liked. She only wondered if it suited him too.


	11. Monster

**So, anyone still alive after that big wait I gave you? I nearly choked when I saw how long it's been since I last updated. :D**

**Probably not, but if you are and haven't read the add-on to chapter ten, go read it. It's a fun one if you can guess what it is that she gave him. :3**

**I really don't like this one. The whole thing just reads like crap to me, but I suppose that's how one is to come out of a writer's block. **

**Oh, and have I mentioned I'm about only capable of writing emoKaito in depth? Any other form of him doesn't get nearly this much thought. xD**

**Anyway, Ilovereviewspleaseandthankyou! x3**

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Perfection. It's a word that is often said for beauty or a good fit. Like that one robe that fit perfectly, or the flowers that are just perfect in general. This, though, was too perfect. It seemed balance between perfection and actually being a part of him. The demon felt his eye brows sad a little, the corners of his lips attempt to stay up or even in a straight line, and his chest feel like there was a hole there. His mouth ran dry, the airy feeling of laughter no longer there.

He felt the painted paper underneath his fingers and tried to fathom how something could be so perfect for him. How she could possibly know that it would fit him like a second half.

"Do you like it?" her voice asked, wedging its way between his thoughts. His blue orbs moved to her face and saw her quickly fading expression. No, no, it wasn't fading. It was becoming a worried frown. The blue-haired demon knew that he should answer her and he knew exactly what to say, too.

He parted his dry lips, feeling them pull apart in protest. "It's perfect," he whispered, his voice threatening to crack. It, too, didn't want to be used. His lips did not want to form words and his voice did not want to say them.

Miku's smile returned, blinding the demon if only for a moment. That was perfect, too. "I'm glad," she said, probably not understanding what she really gave him. She opened her mouth to form words again, but nothing came out. As much as the atmosphere told them that there was more to say, no words came to mind. It became an awkward silence.

"Are you-" Kaito started, but stopped himself. Did he really want to ask that question? To discover the answer? "Are you sure you want me at the festival?" Yes, he asked it.

"Of course."

And she closed the door. She closed his one option for escape. The one way he might be able to convince himself to stay home and be safe. What was his excuse now? How would he be able to explain going back on his promise?

"Why? Is something wrong?" she asked. What was he to do? Lie to her? Tell her that everything was going to be okay? Well, if she was there then maybe it would be. Maybe everything would be all right. After all, he had a mask now. Something to hide his 0appearance with. Maybe not hide, but it did the job well enough.

"No, nothing's wrong," he answered, easily lying. Easily filling her mind with foolish hopes that everything was going to work perfectly, just like the mask. "I just didn't want to... intrude on your village's celebration."

Her face fell into a look of confusion. "But you're part of it too, aren't you?"

The demon took in a sharp breath of air. He wasn't one of them; he was exiled in a sense. Put out of sight to remain out of mind. But what now? Would he finally have to tell her what he was? Shatter the frail dreamlike peace between them? No, that would be cruel.

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm only concerned," he said with a light laugh and smile added on the end. He was becoming such a great liar.

Miku gave him one of her "I'm glad and content" looks. He waited a moment before parting his lips to speak, trying to understand what she wasn't saying, but meant. "What is it?" he asked, his voice a tad skeptical.

Her smile broadened. "I knew you were a good person. No one else believed me but," she looked down as her voice became more quiet, "I knew to trust you, Kaito." As if her soft voice and soft blush wasn't bad enough, the demon had to hear those words. She trusted him. She trusted a monster. The monster was lying to her.

His eyes trailed to the mask in his hand.

Perfection.

The perfect torture for a perfectly innocent girl by the perfect monster.

But he was already in too deep. There was no turning back now unless he was to tear down this facade that built, and how was one to tear down a fortress? He looked to Miku, the girl who brightened every moment of his imprisonment. But, maybe it was time to let go. A wingless bird doesn't have the means to fly like the rest of them in the sky, and this was no different. It would be cruel to tell her, but he had to. He had to show the monster that he is. There was no other choice. It had to be now.

"Miku," he said, feeling like he overusing her name in his misleading voice. "I need to," he paused, feeling his palms start to grow cold as she turned her face to him. "I need to tell you something." Stop stalling. Get it over with. A demon deserves no extra time.

"Yes?" Oh, how he would miss that sweet melody. Nothing in the world would ever be able to replace that.

The blue-haired demon brought his right hand to hover just above her cheek. He had no right to touch her. No right to stain her image with his touch. His hand returned to his side more slowly than it had risen. "The truth is-"

"Miku!" a voice rang out, cutting him off. And then another, howling that name, "Miku!!" It didn't sound like it was hers when shouted like that. It was far too coarse. The third call was closer.

Escape. The demon hardly had to think as he ran up the bridge and halfway up the path back to his prison. Then he watched. He watched look confused, waiting for something. Then he heard her call his name. His human name. The demon felt his face take on a rather dejected look as he watched, wanting nothing more than to quickly bring her to his secluded home and have everything the way it was.

A man with long purple hair wearing white samurai clothes soon approached her. "Miku," he started, "I'm glad I finally found you."

She smiled at him. Kaito's look deepened. "What is it, Gakupo?" she asked.

"Nothing, really," he said with an honest smile and a happy laugh. "I was actually coming to see if you know where I could find the stored eggplants and a girl to go to the festival with."

Kaito glared at the fake-samurai before quickly running up the rest of the stone path. In no time was back in his secluded cage, the mask still in his hand. His chest ached as he replayed what he saw over and over in his mind. He should have seen it coming, though. It was only to be expected.

The demon laid on the polished wooden floor, like he had so many days before, and stared at the ceiling. Again, that scene replayed itself. Wouldn't that man be better for to be around? Wasn't it for her own good? No, it was for her own good that he wasn't telling her what he was! It was because of what is best for her that he has kept lying to her time and time again! He wasn't wrong to keep it from her!

...

The blue-haired demon lifted the mask to his face. He put it on to see what it was like, and it was an exact fit. He then sat in silence. The cruel, conniving demon tried to listen for the sound of her voice, only to be left in that cold quiet.

He couldn't help but laugh just then. Looking out from behind the blue ogre mask, he couldn't help but laugh a little.

"It's perfect. Nothing looks different."


	12. Use

One hour. It was just one hour before the festival began, but to Miku it felt almost as long as year. Why did time have to drag on? It never had before, at least not like this, so why? Perhaps it was because she was sitting on a chair next to the entrance of her house, holding a box of string, and doing nothing. She could only listen to the hurried sounds of everyone in the village bustling around, panicked to get everything done on time. She could wait, though, if only because she had a job-one very important, she was assured-of providing string whenever needed.

"Miku, I need your help!" a voice called, Miriam, right on cue. Miku's face lit up brilliantly as she stood up to follow, but stopped before walking. She didn't exactly know where the girl was, much to her dismay.

Her ears picked up a soft sigh and then a shuffling of feet which stopped right before her. Miku's smile remained in place as she turned her head to where she assumed Miriam was. "How much do you need?"

"Only about half a meter."

"Okay, no problem!" she enthusiastically replied. It was a small enough measurement that she could feel out from memory. She sat down and stuck her hands into the box only to have her fingers met with a conflicting knot. To be more precise, a know made out of many many other knots. Her smile turning into a twist of concentration, Miku dug her unguided fingers into the ball of feisty string and began to toy with it, hoping to find an answer. Her lips pursed with concentration as she fiddled until her pinkie got stuck.

"Ah, just a minute!" she answered to Miriam's sigh. "I've almost got it." Her hands continued to try and untangle the string, but still to no avail.

"Look, Miku I-"

She cut the girl off. "No, I can do it!" she nearly cried as she continued to work. This was her important job! Her own significant role!

"Who needs some string!" a feminine voice called loudly. It was Gumi, the girl who was oblivious to everything except her own thoughts.

A dainty, but calloused hand was place on Miku's fumbling hands. "It's okay, I'll just get some from Gumi." Miriam's footsteps then started away from her, leaving Miku in her chair with just a box of string. Miku's tiny fingers curled to make fists within the box. She was so frustrated! Why couldn't she do this simple task? Wasn't she of use? Stop; she needed to stop. It was unlike her to think like that; of course she was needed. Everyone was needed to prepare for the festival.

With a small nod of self reassurance, Miku went back to patiently waiting with a content smile on her face. It wouldn't be much longer now till everyone was bustling with happiness: talking, dancing, and simply listening to the music. She couldn't wait, especially for the music. It was always the highlight of her year, and even more so now that Kaito would be there. Perhaps he would play that wonderful song of his again, and this time allow her to listen to it; not just the notes, what they _meant_. What his heart truly _sang _in that song. That was all one silly notion, however. Maybe it was just the excitement and long wait that was getting to her.

Everything was amounting to this point; to this event. It was so close now that she only hoped Kaito was as excited as she was.

Miku stood up, placed the box in the chair, and then walked into her house. Perhaps Meiko would need her assistance with something. "Meiko, are you here?" she called out. She received no answer. "Meiko?" she called again, louder this time. She heard some shuffling from the bedroom at the back, the sliding of a door, and then the sound of bare feet moving across the unpolished floors. "Meiko?" Miku asked as the steps approached her. The person's strides were too short to be the woman she was looking for.

"Oh! Miku, there you are!" came the young voice of Rin. "I was just- uh, getting something for Meiko."

Miku turned her head a little. Why couldn't Meiko have gotten it? Or even, "Why couldn't she ask me?"

"Um, she," Rin trailed off before finding her place and quickly saying, "She thought you might be busy. Anyway, I gotta go and get this thing back to Meiko, okay?" She pushed by Miku, quickly putting on her sandals.

The blind girl stood there after Rin and thought about what had happened. Meiko knew that she had all the free time in the world and never hesitated to give Miku something to do. Was she hiding something? What was Rin asked to get, anyway? She would have to ask about it the next time they were together. Perhaps for now she could try to make a lantern? It could pass the time and maybe be donebefore the festival started. Miku then thought about Kaito again. Maybe, if she made it, she could give it to him?

A lantern to help light his way.

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**BAM. And _that's _how you finish a chapter!**

**I'm so happy I finished this one like I wanted to. I even like the ending of it.**

**reviewforlove**


	13. Deception

**Psst. I think my writing actually got worse. |D**  
**Anyway, try to have fun with this. Kaito is really whiny and asks a gross amount of questions that he already knows the answer to.**

**Chapter 12 now has enough to actually be a chapter. ;D**

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Dread practically replaced his blood as he sat there, staring helplessly at the twisted mask in his lap. He had to go; he promised. He couldn't lie to her.

Though that didn't stop him before.

Countless times.

She trusted him and expected him to be there. The demon's gaze narrowed involuntarily, his hands clutching hair. If only he could rip out all that made him inhuman! Tear the horns from his skull; remove the claws; pull the monstrous teeth! Simply extract every little feature of his until nothing more than a shell was left; a skeleton of sorts; the proof of his humanity.

He wanted to cry out, to release his pain in one spell lifting wail, breaking the spiritual chains that burdened his shoulders. He didn't, though. The blue-haired demon learned from trying before that crying wouldn't save him, no matter how loud his voice was. Crying wouldn't save him, so he simply didn't. Instead, he put the mask down on the hard wood flooring in front of him and laid on his side, the polished boards feeling cold beneath his cheek.

The festival was starting soon; he could tell from the amount of noise that reached him from the village, penetrating the usual silence. He didn't need to turn over to see the shamisen waiting for him. Attending was an obligation, a promise, something that lying could not get him out of. Wasn't it perfect, though? His lies finally caught with him and his punishment was going where the people rather see that he was dead.

What would he do after this, though? When the festival was finished, considering everything went well, where would he be? With Miku? He thought about the naive blind girl caught in his intricate web, how she didn't even struggle under his hold on her, and his eyes pulled themselves back to the mask. Why did this seem like such a burden? It was just another lie; another strand of betrayal.

He shut his eyes tightly before opening them again, and got to his feet. He picked up the shamisen from its spot, pulled the strap over his to rest on his shoulders, and picked up the mask and placed it on his head so he could see everything, but no one could see the horns peeking out from his hair. Then he grabbed the shamisen before turning back to the path. Was he really ready for this? He closed his eyes one last time, picturing Miku's smile. She would be overjoyed to have him there. He could picture himself there: standing with her, together amongst people.

Pff, since when was he such a dreamer?

No, it didn't matter.

Stepping off the hardwood floor and sliding into his sandals, the demon began to walk down the path to the village. Only two outsiders had ever taken that path, and beside them, he only used it to take Miku home. Now he was on his way to invade her sanctuary; her safe haven; the one place without him.

The cobble stone walkway seemed to stretch out before him, making the journey even longer and more agonizing. The more time it took it get the village, the more time he had to consider backing out. It would be so easy; just turn around and head back to his comfy prison. Isolation was more his pace anyway. Why change his life, _threaten_ his life, for a girl anyway?

He tried to shift his eyes to look up at the forest canopy above him as he walked, but was blocked by the mask atop his head. He almost felt like a sightless human then, unable to reach or see the sky. He quickly focused back on the road before him. If he started to think of himself as human, then he would truly be pitiful.

The demon felt his breath catch but his feet continue on. Before him he could see the bridge getting ever closer and hear the lively noise grow louder. A cold, nervous sweat broke out across his skin. His shaking hand with long, abnormal nails reached up pulled the mask over his face. It brought an almost soothing comfort to be looking through the holes in the paper mache, using the guise of a human. If only paper couldn't lie; then he could truly be a human.

He stopped right before the bridge. The dirt ground looked so clean on the other side. The demon never should have come this far. He needed to go back right away.

"Hey there!" someone called. He looked up and saw a man approaching him, a bucket in his right hand. "You must be the player that saved Miku." The villager smiled widely, his aged glasses falling down his nose. "I'm Kiyoteru," he introduced when he was standing in front of the musician on the bridge. He looked the demon over before meeting eyes again, "You certainly are a strange one. Kaito, right?"

He hesitated before answering, "Yes." He tried to recall all of the human customs to know if he was expected to do anything else. Was everything still the same?

"All right, now that we know each other, it's time to meet everyone else," Kiyoteru said, turning away and motioning for the demon to follow. "You came just in time; we're almost starting."

"Wait!" he blurted, not moving from his spot before the bridge. "Shouldn't I get permission from the village head first?"

Kiyoteru paused, looking at him a little confused. He chuckled. "I didn't think anyone still practiced that," he said with a new smile present. "Anyway, you already did. I am Hiyama Kiyoteru, the village head."

Hiyama? The demon smiled small and sadly. "I knew your grandfather, Ito," he gave away, not meaning to say it out loud.

"Really?" The young man was shocked. "I'm rahter envious of you, then. I was only a mere baby when he passed. How did you two meet?"

The demon shifted uncomfortably. "It's a... rather complicated story."

Kiyoteru read his discomfort easily. "Well, no matter. We have to hurry before the lanterns are lit. Come on," he said as he reach for the monster's hand. Said monster jerked away, his eyes alarmed from behind the mask. "Oh, sorry," the man apologized, holding his free hand up to show he meant no harm. "I forgot about how you artisans are over your hands."

"No, it's my fault," the blue-haired demon tried, not wanting to bring potential suspicion of any kind upon himself, "I was just surprised."

"It's nothing," he waved off, "Now, about your sheet music. I think Kamui has it, so we'll just have to go meet him first."

The foolish creature looked down at the bridge one more time before moving, following the village head to see the other people.


	14. Alone

**Blah. I really don't like this chapter. Anyway, I know it's been forever, but due to an awesome little reader (Sawahii), I'm going to try to write faster than I have been. |D  
I really hope you haven't forgotten too much of what happened. A lot of it is really important and is just coming into play now. And sorry if the way I write them has changed (like in general tone and feel) because I really didn't intend for that to happen. My writing has just been changing without my knowledge. xD**

**Anyway, next up is Kaito! Lots of stuff is going to go down, but maybe not what you would expect. Stay tuned. ;D**

**iwillsellyoumysoulforreviews~**

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Miku admitted as her hands attempted to mould the mound of soggy paper into a lantern, that this was not how things were supposed to go. Her plan had been to make a beautiful lantern for Kaito, not a mess of paste. It couldn't even be used to feed a fire! It was a mess. In a way, she should have known better. If she had made a wonderful lantern, or even a functioning one, then what? She's would have Meiko paint it in colors she didn't know how to describe? She would paint it herself? There was really nothing she could do and that was very bitter to admit as she sat there, covered in her failed project.

Her lower lip quivered a bit as she imagined how things were supposed to happen. How she was supposed to make a gift for Kaito and he would say to her,"Thank you, Miku. It's wonderful." And from those simple words, she would know that she had done a good job. It would have been something no one could take away from her. It wouldn't matter, though, if she was unable to achieve it in the first place.

"Why am I-" Miku began but cut herself off. She had never bothered with such thoughts before, never in her life, and she was not about to start now. She didn't need to dwell over what others had and she didn't; she was fine as is. She clenched her small hands into tight fists before spreading her fingers out again. She needed stay calm and find a way to clean the mess up without getting it everywhere. But how? She had no idea how spread out her project had become and she wouldn't even know if she had gotten it all.

"Miku," a familiar and warm voice called from the door way of the house.; it was Gakupo. "What are you doing?" It sounded like he was honestly concerned as he entered and approached her.

"I," Miku began but let the sentence fall. She felt so weak. So pathetic. Useless. "I tried to make a lantern, but it-" she couldn't finish her sentence.

She heard fabric rustle and felt a comforting hand placed on her shoulder. "It's fine, Miku. We'll go and get you one later," he said, his soothing words reaching her easily as he was crouched down next to her. "Now come on, we need to get you cleaned up." He carefully took her left hand in his right and helped pull her up to standing, ignoring the paste-like liquid that covered her fingers and allowing the messy cloth that protected her kimono to fall to the ground; it was a good thing her sleeves were tied back. His hands felt strong and were calloused from a life of work, but guided her as if she were a princess. It was a careful, secure touch unlike the warm and cautious touch Kaito held her hand with.

He guided her to her sandals, pausing to allow her to slip them on, before bringing her outside. He stopped just to the left of the door and said, "Here. I brought some water from the river and thought i might check up on you." He chuckled lightly as he crouched down with her and brought her hands to the bucket of clean water. "Who knew I would need it so soon," he added on, quickly rinsing his hand to rid it of the liquid paste.

Miku washed her hands in the water, mixed feelings about Gakupo's presence running through her mind. She was grateful that he had appeared, yes, and wasn't concerned that he entered the house without invitation since the village as a whole worked to take care of her, but she wasn't sure what to think of what he said. _"We'll go and get you one later,"_ she repeated in her head. She had worked so hard on it, trying to make it as beautiful as she could, but he brushed it off.

No, he didn't mean for it to sound like that. She knew him better; Gakupo was the type to kindly consider other people. The proof was in that he was helping her, right? She nodded her lightly as she finished washing her hands clean. "Thank you," she said as they both rose to their feet again. "I suppose it was silly of me to try something like that, huh?"

He didn't reply right away; instead, he took her hand again between both of his. "It's not something you need to worry about," he began, his soothing voice reaching her again, "You know Lola always makes extra lanterns."

Her lips twisted into a weak smile. "That's right," she said absently. Was it really just about something so materialistic?

"Come on," Gakupo started, one of his hands returning to his side while the other remained to guide her again, "We need to go see Luka for the masks." He began walking into the village, Miku being pulled along closely, and added, "Everyone but that odd guest will be wearing a fox mask. I rather like it, don't you?"

"Yes," she replied easily, though she was unsure of it. It was interesting that everyone was getting together like that, but why did Kaito need a different mask? He was part of the village too, even if they didn't know it. There was no need to separate him from everyone else like that. Maybe she could convince him to reveal his identity later? If she did that, then everyone would feel whole again, of that she was sure. Her natural smile appeared on her face as she was led by Gakupo. Everything would be perfect.

Suddenly, they stopped walking. "Here, Miku. Just wait here in this chair and I'll be right back," he said, placing her hand on the back of it so she would know where it was. Of course, she wasn't sure where she was, but she trusted him.

"Where are you going?" she asked curiously, sitting down while facing where she heard come from.

"I need to get a surprise for you," he said smoothly, his voice leaving no room for any other questions. His footsteps over the dirt ground could be heard moving away from her amongst the noise of other people. Since everyone was busy preparing for the celebration, she was unable to tell where she was from sound alone. Again, it wasn't something to be concerned about; she trusted Gakupo and knew that he would come back for her. All she had to do was wait and behave.

She had done it so many time before, all throughout her life, that it was as easy as breathing.

To just sit in her chair.

And wait.

"Rin, that is such a nice ribbon!" she hear a girl say with excitement. It sounded like Lily; the girl did always enjoy materials of great quality. To be complimented by her meant one had only the best.

"Thank you!" Rin replied, her tone clearly saying she enjoyed the flattery. "It is my favorite." Both of the girls were, from the sound of things, stopped in front of her just a bit away.

Miku bit her lower lip lightly. She wanted to join in and talk to them since it was something she wasn't able to do often, but what would she talk about? Would they even want her talking to them? No, perhaps she should take the risk anyway. "What color is it?" Miku blurted, louder than she expected.

There was pause before Rin answered, "It's white." She sounded confused and Miku didn't blame her. After all, it was an odd question for a blind girl to ask.

"Ah, I mean," she tried, looking for a different question to ask. "What is it made from?"

"Silk," Rin replied flatly, almost defensively. Why had her tone taken such a change? Did she not want to talk?

"It must be really pretty," the blind girl tried again, confident that this attempt would strike up a good conversation, "Did you make it yourself?"

She listened as the girl made a low, short huffing noise. "Don't play these games!" she shouted suddenly, "Just say it if you know already!"

The quick noise of shuffling dirt indicated that she had run away. She didn't understand why the younger girl had left so suddenly; it made no sense to her at all. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked, the hurt obvious in her voice. Was she really that uncomfortable to talk to? That different from everyone else?

"Ah, Miku," Lily began with a strained tone. It seemed that she didn't know what to do either. "She's probably just stressed out because of the festival. Don't let it get to you." Miku smiled softly and nodded, truly taking in what she was saying. Rin was a cheery, fun loving girl; it probably was just the stress of preparation getting to her.

"Well, I'm gonna go make sure everything's alright, okay? See ya later," she said before leaving the blind girl, too.

Although she was surrounded by working people, she was left alone. In her own little chair, she was left to do the one task that could be entrusted to her, the one thing she could do without fail: sit and wait quietly. She placed her hands together on her lap, trying not to fidget. She had been able to wait so easily in the past, but not any longer. She itched to do something; go somewhere; talk to someone. What had changed to make her feel this way? When had waiting become such a chore...? If only Kaito was there with her.

Maybe then everything would be all right.


	15. Tension

**-insert usual groveling-**

**whoops. well, anyway, I know it's been way long and i don't expect anyone to remember everything, so here's a quick update: kaito was invited to the festival and given a blue ogre mask to wear and he showed up pretty much living in it, miku tried to make a lantern for him but failed and Gakupo was all "it's okay I'll buy you a new one" and Rin was acting suspicious about her new hair tie. Now, without further waiting, since you've already waited over a year, here's the next chapter! please go read my inuyasha story after this for it is lonely ;w;**

**pls review even if i don't deserve it**

* * *

He walked through the bustling village like a sheep going into a wolf's den. He felt like he would be discovered at any moment; was this really such a good idea? The demon was frightened. He didn't want to be found out. He longed to go back to his secluded home where it was just him and Miku.

Ah, but he had to remind himself, the situation was different. He was the true wolf in disguise. "Hiyama," he started, calling to the man in front of him. Really, such a brisk pace was hard to keep up with. "Hiyama, please slow down."

Kiyoteru stopped and turned back to him, a surprised look on his face. "Sorry about that," he said with a small laugh and a scratch to the back of his head, "I was just a little excited. It's been a while since a musician has visited our humble village."

"Why?" he asked before he had a chance to stop himself. The demon had remember the village as a glowing place that always attracted visitors. What had changed that?

Kiyoteru looked away nervously. "W-well, it's nothing, really," he then noticed something to the left, "Ah! Kamui! There you are!" And he headed off again leaving the demon guest to follow.

When he caught up he was displeased to see that it was a familiar face. She had called him Gakupo and he asked her to accompany him to the festival. Even a secluded monster like himself knew that meant. He felt an anger rise within him at the mans face, one that he quickly attempted to push down. Miku was not a presence in his life alone and she, for her own benefit, should stop being around him. This man was far better suited for the girl.

He didn't like it.

"Kamui, this is Kaito," Kiyoteru introduced, gesturing between the two. "Kaito, this is Kamui."

He watched the man's face sport a frown before quickly replacing it with a welcoming smile. "You call me Gakupo," he said, crossing his arms. "So you're the musician I've heard so much about." Had they really discussed him? Did everyone know he was coming? "Well I hope you don't let us down. We're a pretty demanding group," he joked.

"Ah, right," Kaito said weakly, not sure how to respond. It had been so long since he last talked to people.

"Why are you wearing that dreadful thing so soon?" Gakupo asked with a grin, "There's no need for it right now." He reached his hand out and Kaito flinched.

"I-I'm just more comfortable with it on," he stuttered out, his hands holding onto the edge. He watched from behind the holes in the mask as Kiyoteru and Gakupo glanced at each other before looking back at him.

"Well, okay then," he reached inside his loose yukata and withdrew sheet music, "Here you are. I hope it's nothing too complicated for you."

The demon swallowed hard, reaching out and taking the paper slowly, his eyes not leaving the other man's. How long could he keep this up? Continue this charade? Surely they would notice soon? How had they not noticed yet? He should have cut off his claws before coming. Lord, why did he come?

"Well," Kiyoteru started, breaking the awkward tension that starting to form, "Now that that's taken care of, is there anything I can do for either of you?" His smile was beaming, so welcoming.

"No, I'm fine. I just need to get a lantern for Miku."

Kaito's eyes widened slightly at the mention of her name, though they didn't notice with the mask on him.

"Why would she need one of those?" the village head asked with honest interest.

"I don't know. She just wants one," Gakupo answered with a careless shrug, dismissing it so easily, "If a lady wants it, then she shall have it!" He laughed lightly. Kaito's grip on the music tightened ever so slightly. "Well, anyway, be seeing you. You too, stranger." And then he was gone.

Kiyoteru turned back to Kaito. "Now, would you like to walk around a bit or go to the stage first?"

His eyes widened again. "S-stage?"

"Of course," he said it like it was only expected, "Didn't you know?"

"A-ah, yes," Kaito lied, "I just forgot. Please, lead the way."

Kiyoteru nodded and then took off into the crowd again. Weaving through the busy people, it was hard for him to keep up, especially with how he was trying to avoid touching anyone. He absently thought back to his brief run-in with Gakupo. He seemed like a fine enough man, not out to exploit Miku, but he didn't sit well with him. The purple-clad man had dismissed her so easily. He didn't like it and wondered where Miku was at that moment. It sounded as if he left her somewhere to wait for him.

The demon halted his thoughts; he didn't need to concern himself with that. He needed himself that he was here to play because she wished for it and that was all.

They approached a stage with a large taiko drum on the center, people gathered around it already. The nervous returned to him in a wave, stiffening his limbs as he moved.

"Hey everybody," Kiyoteru greeted loudly, "This is our special guest, Kaito!"

The four men on stage waved to him as they said their own words of greeting. "Hello," was all Kaito could say as he approached.

"Now," the village head began again, making introductions easy for him, "From right to left, this is Luki, Wiriam, Meito, and Len. You guys play nice now. I have other things to take care of!" And with a parting smile, Kaito's shield against interacting with others was gone.

Luki, sitting with his legs open and a bored expression on his face and his mask on top of his head, was the first to speak up. "What are you wearing that mask for? It's got to be hot under there."

"It's really not-"

Luki cut him off, continuing, "Or are you trying to be mysterious for the ladies?" He flipped his mask down and began mimicking a wolf howl. "Awooooo!" Wiriam punched his arm, stoping the animal call. Kaito's face felt very hot underneath the mask.

"Enough of that," Wiriam said, "You'll scare him off."

"Yeah, whatever," Luki muttered, pulling his mask off and rolling onto his stomach.

"So what can you play again?" the blonde, Len, asked.

"Shamisen," Kaito answered. This group intimidated him. He wasn't sure how to behave. Were they serious with the jokes or just fooling around? Was he allowed to join them? Was he expected to join them? Was it really such a problem to be wearing his mask? God, what if they recognized him?

Meito whistled, impressed. "You'll get attention for sure. No one around here but our little shouta," he poked Len in the side, earning swat of the hand, "Has hands suited for it."

"I see."

Meito raised his eyebrows at Kaito. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get up here," he said, adding a laugh on the end.

"I don't really know if," he was cut off again.

"Think nothing of it." Wiriam offered him a hand to help pull him on the low stage.

He was hesitant, to say the least. Talking with them was shaking his nerves as it was, but this too? He looked nervously to the outstretched hand, much larger than his own. He raised his free hand, the other clenching the sheet music even more, and placed it in the offered hand. He closed his eyes briefly, waiting to be discovered for what he truly was.

And he was pulled on stage with the rest of them.

"You sure are an odd one, huh?" Meito asked, his smile cocked to the side a bit with his arms crossed.

"Sorry about that," Kaito said, scratching the back of his head lightly.

"When are we going to practice?" Len suddenly asked, calling the attention to himself.

"Practice getting girls?" Luki added, his face still on the stage.

"Practicing was yesterday, Len. Today's the performance," Wiriam chastised lightly and the boy pouted.

It was an odd feeling for Kaito, being surrounded by such good people. As different as they all were, they accepted him. They knew he was different, not part of their village, and they accepted him. It was, dare he say it, nice. Kaito was accepted, a feeling he thought he would never have a chance to experience again.

It was a short hour later, after talking and getting to know the four men that Kaito wished the festival would never end. He had developed close friendships with these people and didn't want to give them at the end of the day. Perhaps they felt the same?

"So, Kaito," Luki started, throwing his arm around the other's shoulders, "I hear you came because Miku asked you to. Any special relationship?" He put emphasis on the word "special."

Kaito blushed, though they couldn't see it from behind his mask. "W-well, it's not like," he trailed off, his eyes suddenly searching the crowd for something, anything to derail the subject. Then he saw her and his attention was completely taken away from his new friends. "Miku!" he called, standing up quickly. She didn't hear him over the crowd so he, without thinking about it, pulled his mask up, leaving it to sit on top of his head, his face exposed.

Luki and Meito shared a knowing look with each other, their smirks matching.

"Miku!" he called again, and this time she heard.

She turned towards him, a wide smile blossoming on her face. "Kaito!" she called back. She then turned back Gakupo and said something, Kaito couldn't hear what, and then turned back towards him, waving her hands.

Smiling himself, he jumped off the stage and moved through the crowd with ease to come before her. "Miku," he breathed, happy just to see her face. Everything was falling into place so perfectly.

"Kaito, you're here! I'm glad," she said, and he could tell she meant every word.

"I was worried," he admitted quietly while looking down, "That I wouldn't be able to see you."

A blush spread on her cheeks and she parted her lips to reply when a third voice made itself known. "Kaito," Gakupo started, his voice making it known that it was not a pleasant surprise, "So you finally came out from behind the mask?"

His eyes widened briefly, not even meaning to, before he looked away. "Ah, yeah. I did."

"Hmh," Gakupo huffed, looking down on him from his superior height, "I thought you had to perform? Shouldn't it be soon?"

"Yes," he answered, looking away.

"So soon?" Miku asked. She placed her left hand on Kaito's chest, "I want to hear it."

Kaito's smile was only outdone by the red blush on his face that this time he didn't cover up with his hand. "Of course," he removed her hand and kept it in his own, "Here, this way." He then guided her away, back through the people and towards the stage, his mind too filled with joy to hear anything more that Gakupo had to say.

When he got to the stage he looked up to see each of the four men giving a look of approval, Luki giving two thumbs up and Wiriam a fatherly sort of smile. Kaito blushed again and tightened his grip on her hand slightly. He was holding her hand! Actually touching her and not being scorned for it. He turned back to Miku, trying to ignore his new friends and how they all gathered silently at the lip of the stage, eager to hear what he had to say.

"Miku, I want you to hear me play," he started, trying to be quiet enough that the men couldn't hear, but loud enough that she could. He doubted that it worked just like that. "And afterwords," he thought about what he had to say, what he had learned so far if he had the right to do it. He had been accepted, but was this asking too much? "I have something I need to tell you."

"Oooo-" Luki started but was silenced by the other three slapping a hand over his mouth. Kaito glanced back them, each of their faces telling him to carry on and ignore their presence.

His eyes returned to Miku's face, her hand just covering a giggle from Luki's interruption. She, he was never afraid to admit, was beautiful in every sense of the word.

"Promise to hear me out?" he asked, taking her hands in his own. They had matching pink blushes on their cheeks.

"Of course," she breathed, the words taking his own breath away. There was no way Kaito would ever forget this day.


End file.
